Hearts Do Change
by Aviarianna O Lorien
Summary: COMPLETE! An unusual story that fits in with the holidays in a way you'll never understand lest you read it.
1. No One Should Be Alone On Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Potter-verse, nor do I own anything else you may recognize. This goes for EVERY chapter.

Also, I need a Beta reader who i can email things too. The one who usually does it is too busy...please email me if you want to be the beta!

Chapter 1: No One Should Be Alone On Christmas... 

If anyone had seen the Potions Master as he rushed down the corridor towards the Infirmary carrying the DADA Professor in his arms, cradling her to be more specific, they would have dropped dead of shock right then and there.

There was no sneer, no icy glare that could freeze a volcano, no malice or contempt in his black eyes.

But in his eyes and brow etched deep was worry, and a deep frown graced his pale lips.

And so did fear.

Fear that this woman in his arms would end up dying, or worse.

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She had only come down to dinner for 20 minutes. She ate very little and drank even less. And during those 20 minutes sitting at the staff table she looked at no one, spoke not a word and ignored everything and everyone else.

Not that there were many teachers or students left considering it was the Holidays.

So as the small amount of students sat and ate and did there things while at the staff table, the few remaining teachers sat, quietly eating, discussing, or in Shape's case, trying desperately to ignore a certain gamekeeper/care of magical creature's professor's tries at starting a conversation. The Small amount being Albus Dumbledore, Poppy Pomfry, who'd just left to go and inventory the Infirmary one last time, Rubius Hagrid (obviously) Minerva Magonagal, Sibyl Trelawny, Severus Snape (Big Surprise...NOT) and the young woman who'd just arrived for dinner ten minutes late and only stayed for twenty minutes.

Anya Annalyse Lorien: Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. This was her first year at Hogwarts, hired by Albus Dumbledore for her "Immense experience in this particular field..."

She also left the table with the silence befitting everyone's favorite Tolkien elf, hoping to go unnoticed.

However, Dumbledore noticed.

"Severus..." The headmaster began, as the potions master had begun to leave mere moments after the Defense expert.

"Yes?" the black haired teacher asked, with some caution and his usual mask.

"Please go and check on Miss Lorien. I fear she may be quite depressed, being alone on Christmas Eve." Dumbledore requested, with an edge of commanding. And a small amount of guilt, for even Severus Snape had some form of family and had received a Christmas letter and 'card' from them earlier that morning.

"Of Course Albus." He replied with a curt nod. And he made his way slowly to her chambers, located behind the water dragon statue next to the DADA classroom.

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At the beginning of the year he had loathed her. Absolutely abhorred this woman who looked so young she could easily pass as a seventh year, and was given the job he'd so longed for as long as he could remember. Dumbledore had, again, told the staff at the beginning of the year, that the young woman had much experience in defensive matters; therefore she was perfect for the position and would hopefully be able to, due to such experience, last more than the previous records of ONE school year.

What Dumbledore had not mentioned were the deep scars her "Experiences" had left her with. To put it lightly, Anya Annalyse Lorien was less sociable than Severus on her bad days. And on her good days? Mild mannered, quick tempered, and sarcastic to a fault.

As Severus neared the statue and muttered the password "Nikolai Kristophe." And watched the water dragon slide to the side silently to allow him access to a small hallway, and then a mahogany door, he seemed to realize how much his loathing had dissipated for her in the past few months. And as his fist gently knocked on the door, it dawned on him that he didn't hate her at all, and truly never had a reason to do so. She'd made it clear more than once she hadn't wanted the position, but had no choice in the matter unless she wanted to lose everything she had left.

He had no reason the hate her. It was a stupid superficial hate. And as the months leading up to the next few moments of his life on Christmas Eve had gone by, his view of her had changed. She was a strong, beautiful, and intelligent woman who WAS in fact greatly experienced and was actually getting through to the brats known as students, with darkened brown eyes akin to those of a war vets. She'd seen something rough, but she hid emotions quite well.

She was his equal and he knew it, albeit he would never end up admitting it to anyone, or out loud for that matter.

But he treated her with a respect that she'd most definitely earned. ( Getting through to those ignorant, uncaring, cowardly brats known as students.)

So when no answer of "Come in." or "Enter." Reached his ears, he amazingly, became a tad bit concerned.

So he knocked again, louder and harder this time with the usual scowl still on his face. She still did not answer. The concern built up more and after another ten minutes of now near pounding on the door, he opened it.

This concerned him more as the door hadn't been locked.

He was not prepared for the sights that greeted him. The color scheme however was only the icing on the cake, while seriously disturbing though it was.

Red. Every shade and hue of the color red as one could imagine existed. But that wasn't what was the most disturbing of all.

Even more worrisome was the thin haze of smoke that hung in the air. The distinct scent of cigarettes was so strong that the potions master who spent most of his days surrounded by fumes found himself coughing for a few moments before using his wand to clear away all the smoke. On the end-tables, (2) nightstands, (2) small table, desk and even bathroom counter sat ashtrays filled with cigarette butts, half of witch still burned, if only the smallest bit. His eyebrows arched in the newly learned fact that Miss Lorien was a chain-smoker. He picked up and empty pack off the crimson colored carpet. "Marlboro. Bad habit, good taste." He muttered darkly to himself. (How he knew that was like the best brand, the world shall hopefully never know...)

As he entered the small kitchen she'd requested, he noticed a few more ashtrays, one of them still smoking. But then another stone of dread stopped into the seemingly emotionless mans stomach.

Bottle after empty bottle of Sake could be seen in the failing light of a few randomly placed candles. They filled most of the sink, covered most of the small table and even stood on the end-tables. There must have been over 20 bottles in the place! All of them completely empty! He picked one of the rather large bottles and looked the label over.

To his actual slight horror, the label told him the alcohol content was 100%.

More confusion set in, though looking at his face the only clue would have been the arched eyebrow.

And then he heard it. A low, faint sobbing. Though even sobbing couldn't really describe it. It was merely a low almost silent really, crying. Following the chilled draft he knew exactly where to find her.

The balcony.

And a sight that shocked him even more than the smoky, alcohol bottled laced rooms he'd entered.

With her back to the railings and her knee's obviously drawn to her chest she sat. She was covered in a thin layer of blood red robes, the chilly winds blowing her long wavy brown locks about her face all but violently. In her mouth, a lit cigarette still burned at the halfway point but she wasn't puffing on it. In her right hand she held a half drunk bottle of Sake but her fingers barely gripped the bottleneck at all and it slipped from her fingers to shatter on the stone floor. She never even blinked.

He knelt in front of her, a very un-Snape thing to do, but she didn't see him. Her eyes were very dull, little life shone in them and they looked out, unseeing. She blinked only sparingly and stared out, through Severus Snape and through the double doors of the balcony. Her vision was blurry through the tears that made a cold trail down her cheeks that she couldn't feel. She saw not the balcony doors or professor in front of her but memories.

Of death, of blood, of loneliness and loss, of fighting battles and beings, of winning at a price she wasn't fully prepared to pay.

She wondered why the images refused to leave her be. "Why wont they fade away..." she whispered through lips that were beginning to take on a more pale and blue-ish hue. Alerting Severus to a new fact: Anya had become lost in whatever had given her such experience that had her teaching the students of this school. She was alive, but only in the sense that she still breathed.

He grabbed the wrist of the empty hand but froze as soon as the contact was made for a moment. He gently pulled his hand away, it was wet. The red of her blood shimmered on his hand and her wrists in the light of the half-moon.

And on the dagger that he now noticed laying next to her left side.

She'd slit her own wrists?? He could scarcely believe it! But the proof was there...Small pools of blood had formed under both wrists. And he silently thanked every god and goddess in existence for the chilly winter, because she'd have lost much more blood had the cold not slowed the blood flow.

"Oh Anya..." he gently (GASP) spoke as he picked her up quickly. Thus taking all to the scene in which this tale began.

Please Review and keep in mind, I am TRYING to keep Snape in character but we all know that when its going to end up a romance, Snape cant stay in character completely.


	2. First Impressions and Cookie Rants

Chapter 2: First Impressions and Cookie Rants

And as he entered the Infirmary, he became highly aware of the increase in blood flow the warmth of the indoors had caused due to the fact that blood was steadily staining his robes, and the floor.

" Oh My Gods Severus??!!" Poppy rushed over to the dark haired man. "What's happened??!!" She exclaimed, leading him to a bed where he set her down and she began her work. Self-inflicted wounds were much more difficult to heal. Severus just sat down on a nearby chair dully and looked at Poppy, then to the now unconscious woman on the bed.

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Such a calm and serene person she'd been. Making impressions and then breaking them was her style. She loved to surprise people, but never like this. Why he remembered the first day everyone had met her...

" ...and so without further adieu, I wish to present you're new defense against the dark arts teacher: Professor Lorien!" Dumbledore had finished his beginning of the year speech as usual, with the introduction of the newest addition to the Hogwarts staff. And what an impression she'd made...

The doors to the great hall all but flew open and in walked a woman of average height, with all the confidence, coldness, emotionless and powerfully intimidating presence that one would expect to find in the aura of Severus Snape. Her scarlet robes billowed out behind her, showing off the blood red Chinese dress she wore, with silver embroidery of roses throughout the silky fabric. Though it was long, the skirt had slits up to her mid thighs, and she wore black tights underneath along with black, calf high boots adorned with silver laces. Her hair was long, auburn and wavy and flew out behind her as she walked briskly down the aisle. That is until she pulled out a rather dark violet chopstick and skillfully pulled hair up with no more than a few quick gestures of her hands.

A beauty she seemed, pale skin with not a blemish in sight, dark brown eyes and looked almost orange in the light of the candles. Red lips, with only the tiniest hint of gloss, and black liner around her eyes to add to the dark mysterious look. And quite the curvaceous body to boot. Perfectly proportioned, in the way that she upheld what the gods had given her.

The students had no Idea what to think about her. They were expecting another Severus Snape the moment she entered the room. Her eyes held nothing but a bored and slightly amused look, and her mouth was nothing but a rather tight line. She'd made her way to the staff table, and much to Severus' disliking, the empty seat at the end of the table right next to him.

Right before she reached the table she gave the students a sweeping glare of a look, one that said "Don't Fuck With Me..." and left room for many ideas of what an "Or Else" could be.

And right before she sat down...She gave another sweeping look; with the warmest smile and the brightest brown eyes any of the students had ever received.

It was an action that had caused Severus to shake his head in his own amusement as talking and murmurs rose from all tables. She looked at him with a smug look and seeing his amazingly arduous eye roll, proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the meal, as he did to her.

At the moment she'd entered he'd thought she would be easy to hate. As he'd learn within the next few months, he was quite wrong.

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Once the bleeding had slowed, Poppy called Dumbledore down to the infirmary. "It's quite urgent Albus! It's Anya." She then turned to Severus, "What's Happened??"

" She-" The potions master begun in all seriousness as a very worried Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress rushed in. The two walked quickly over to the woman's bedside, examining her wounds gently.

"I was afraid of this..." Dumbledore sighed. He then looked towards Severus, who wore the same confused expression now, that Minerva Magonagal did. "Please continue Severus." Severus nodded and continued on.

" She...slit her own wrists out on her balcony." He admitted to them all, yet the look on Dumbledore's face told him to tell the whole story. "Albus...I was concerned when I got no answer, and so entered her chambers, without so much as a lock on the door to keep me out. They are entirely red, every shade imaginable...but there was a haze of cigarette smoke, ashtrays and empty Marlboro pack everywhere. And bottles of 100% alcohol Sake everywhere...." He took a deep breath, trying to forget the look on her face when he'd found her and continued. "And When I found her on her balcony...she had only what you see her in now to keep the cold away, a half burnt cigarette still lit and burning in her mouth, and a half empty bottle in her hand that shattered as it fell from her grasp. Albus...it was like she wasn't even there! She was looking out at nothing, and crying and she never even noticed when the bottle shattered." Snape composed himself a bit before continuing. "Albus..Why were you afraid this might happen?"

" Because Severus...of her experience which gives her such a right to teach the students. It is because of what such experiences have left deep in her heart and soul that I was afraid of this. Severus, Minerva, Poppy...this girl is very much alone." The tone of voice, the deep sigh, the look in his eyes of pure honesty and knowing...everyone went silent.

It was very true.

No family.

No friends.

No godparents.

Nothing but her raven Pahlin and her memories which she wished weren't there.

Severus was again quite confused, as were Minerva and Poppy. This girl had no one? But she'd always been so upbeat...so happy.

Except for her eyes.

It was as if they all had an epiphany at the exact same moment, and with knowing looked at each other all at once.

She had a presence that could make the entire great hall smile on the worst of days. But she also had her secrets.

&&&&&&&&&& Early October&(

The young DADA professor knocked gently on the doors to the personal chambers of one Severus Snape. It was a Saturday and she was casually dressed under light red robes in a white Tunic looking shirt with silver trim and black Flairs with her signature black boots peaking out from under the belled flair of her jeans. Had she not been cold, she'd have left the robes off. Her hair was again, up in a dark colored chopstick, it would only get in the way after all.

The door opened to a scowling Severus in black jeans and dark green button up shirt, buttoned almost all the way up. He motioned her inside quite involuntarily and she merely smiled as she entered his humble abode for the school year. He'd recently ( as in about oh...20 minutes ago) received a letter by house elf from Dumbledore. ( Poor creature looked like it was ready to wet itself...) explaining why she'd be showing up at his door at 3 in the afternoon on a lovely crisp Saturday a week before Halloween.

He scowled deeply and glared icy daggers at her back as she took in his rooms.

She smiled so happily he felt he might puke from the sheer cheerfulness of the wide grin.

Funny how it would not occur to him that the puke-worthy smile had never reached her eyes until her life was on the line.

As she'd expected, the personal chambers of Severus Snape were...dark.

Not dreary...just...dark.

A cozy dark.

To her left a small sitting area, there was a rather large fireplace with a Slytherin banner hanging over it, and two dark green chairs facing it, with a small, dark, wooden table between them. On the mantel, a quarter empty bottle of Fire-whiskey sat, she made a note of that. And too the right of the small entry way she saw double doors the lead unmistakably to his bedroom. Why? Because straight ahead was a study, with a large bookshelf stuffed with books, and a rather large yet lovely desk. ( Mahogany considering how dark and nice the wood was, with nickel handles. She'd had one just like it once...) He walked over to the bookcase and pulled randomly placed book, a doorway opened right in front of her and she stepped back, startled. Then he headed down the 20 or so stairs with her following close behind.

They stopped at the bottom and so were both standing in the only private potions lab in Hogwarts.

Which was unfortunately in the possession of the scowling, sneering, quite unpleasant potions master.

But Anya kept on smiling in that warm; I'm going to puke its so happy, way.

Severus turned a glare onto her that had made many a student, and even the occasional teacher turn on there heals or run from the room crying. She however, didn't even flinch.

" This is absolutely wonderful Severus!" She smiled more. ( How that was even possible he did NOT want to know.) Motioning around the room where shelves in the walls were stuffed and stocked with potions supplies ranging from powered mandrake root to Dragon-scales of 12 different varieties at least. "I have no doubt you have everything I'll need! You...you umm are aware why I needed to come see you this afternoon correct?" She asked tentatively. He gave her a curt not.

"Quite." He replayed the information in that letter back and forth in his mind. This girl was much more than she appeared to be. While being a witch since birth, some of her experiences had...changed her. After spending a good number of years in a certain realm of existence...she was no longer human. "You spent far too much time in a place called Makai, aptly translated to Demon World and NOT the small island off the coast of Japan. Thus you were changed, as Makai tends to do that to people. You are now a half-breed panther demon. I'm aware that this potion is to counter that blood and keep you looking human. It is a once a month dosage correct?"

She nodded and added quietly "That's not everything though..." she looked at the floor as he looked at her.

" And what else is there Miss Lorien?" He asked snidely.

" I have wings too that I have to hide." She said reluctantly. Suddenly spreading a lovely white pair of angelic looking wings behind her. "Makai changed me in more ways then one." She shrugged as she folded her wings behind her back nonchalantly. Severus rose a delicate eyebrow in her direction for a moment before turning towards the shelves and pulling down several ingredients.

Once the cauldron was bubbling he pointed to each ingredient. "These you add now, then you add the tears sprinkling in a counterclockwise circle. After that it must simmer for 20 minutes, no more no less." He then opened a jar of bright red dragon scales. "The Scarlet Madagascar dragon scales go in immediately after the 20 minutes is up and you must put in exactly 12. After that you add those crushed whiskers in a clockwise circle and let the potion simmer for another hour. After that, it should be a shimmery blood red. Is that all clear to you?" He sneered, acting as if she were another Gryfindor imbecile.

She smiled not so much happy, but mischievously. Something he'd only ever seen on the faces of those horrid Weasly twins.

' Oh dear...' he thought for a second before turning back to his own potion and ignoring her completely. That is until that last hour of simmering came and she got bored after 10 minutes.

Suddenly Severus felt a light jab in his back. Knowing it was HER he just up and ignored it. He also ignored the next 20 pokes in his lower back, reveling in the fact that the little half-breed was getting VERY annoyed. Then he felt a jab in the ribs and involuntarily squeaked. She smirked at the reaction and poked his other side, earning herself another squeak and a growl. But he still hadn't turned to face her so she poked him again, with both hands in both sides. He growled again and turned a glare on her. "WHAT??" He all but yelled at the innocently smiling brunette with her hands placed suddenly conveniently behind her back.

" Nooothing." She smiled and walked back to the potion that was slowly turning red, as it should be. Severus sighed deeply and turned back to his work. 5 minutes later he felt another jab in his side and glared at her again.

"Yes??" He hissed out slowly, to keep his composure and not THROTTLE the girl!

She stood next to him and nonchalantly stared at his potion, considering a standard healing potion really isn't supposed to turn puce with a violet steam, she figured she's succeed in more than annoying him today. "I want...a cookie!" She exclaimed as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "A big cookie! With lots of chocolate chips!" She began walking around him casually and continued as he tried to return to his brewing. The distraction of her never-ending talk of cookies enough to keep him from noticing violet smoke turning blue rapidly while the potion turned yellow. ( it was a simple potion for healing cuts, and it was SUPPOSED to be LIGHT PINK.)

" I LOVE cookies! What about you Severus? What's you're favorite kind of cookie?" She went on and on with the potions master watching her with an incredulous look on his face the likes of "What The Hells Is She Doing??!!" "I mean cookies are soooo good! And there's sooooo many kinds!" And then the worst..She began to list them off with a cheery voice as she bottled her blood red potion. "Chocolate Chip cookies, Oatmeal cookies, Oatmeal Raisin cookies, Peanut butter cookies, Peanut butter walnut cookies, butter cookies, Chocolate chocolate chip cookies, White chocolate chip cookies, White chocolate macadamia nut cookies, Walnut cookies, Almond cookies...So many! Oh dear...look at that all bottled and ready for me to take in my rooms." The potion behind Severus had begun to bubble and was now a bright lemon yellow. "Thanks for the lesson in making the counter potion! I'll be back in a month! Bye!" She then did something he'd never expected; she hugged him around the waist and then hightailed her arse out of there.

There was a boom as she closed the door to his study and a scream in anger and well, anger as she ran towards the door. Just as she closed it, she saw the sight of Severus Snape, covered in Yellow goop with violet smoke coiling off of him, while now violet eyes glared at everything.

&(&(&(&(&(&(&(&(&&(&(&&(&(& Now &&&

Ever since that day...she'd come down once a month for the potion, and then kept up a once a week visit just to annoy him. That cookie thing was something that had become a tradition between the two. Fancy that...Severus Snape had a tradition with a disturbingly cheerful, yet apparently depressed young woman.

" uhgn...Severus..." The moan was low; the word was nearly inaudible, but just audible enough for everyone to hear it. And despite himself, he went to her bedside and grasped her hand tightly in his. The pale skin of her hand was freezing compared to the warmth of his.

" I'm here Anya...I'm here."

Albus, Minerva and Poppy looked at each other knowingly and left them alone.

Severus summoned a chair up to her bedside and sat down, still grasping her hand in his and praying she'd wake up soon.

Anya was stuck however, in her own mind in a replay of memories. Severus Snape had been the one staple in her life the past few months so he shared the memories running through her head now. All she had to do was break out of the loop.

In her head

Another memory...

" Miss Lorien, I see you've chosen quite the hands on approach to Defense." The unmistakable voice of Severus spoke out into her classroom of 6th year students. She smiled at him standing at the head of her class motioning Hermoine granger to throw her strongest curse.

" No better way to teach them Professor, at least in my opinion." She looked back at Hermoine. "Now than Miss. Granger, Attack me."

Please review me and note that if you are the obnoxious idiot who calls themselves Jo who has anonymously flamed SEVERAL of my works, you are an idiot and for you're information: I SPELL AND GRAMMER CHECK EVERYTHING I WRITE AND HAVE IT READ BY AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON! THAT is for anyone who thinks that I don't.


	3. Memories Made

I would like to thank Pen2paper, Joanne-Davenport and NativeMoon for reviewing me. I am continuing!

Chapter 3: Memories Made

Hermoine Granger looked like a deer caught in the proverbial headlights. Anya had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing and Severus was sitting in an empty chair with an amused smirk on his face at the Know-it-all's hesitation.

It was, after all, a direct order from a teacher.

" Well Miss Granger? I'm waiting." Anya mocked in an encouraging fashion. ( Again, how that was even possible he had no clue.)

"B-but Professor..." She replied with a hesitantly, raised wand.

" I am unarmed and without a wand. Yes Miss Granger I am QUITE well aware of that." Anya spread her arms wide in an open gesture. "Attack me!" She yelled the command out and poor Hermoine was startled and still hesitated. Anya sighed deeply. " Attack me Miss Granger or I shall be forced to take house points for blatant disregard of my instructions."

At the mention of losing house points the young grangers eyes went wide. "Here goes then..." she mumbled and raised her wand the rest of the way, in a dueling fashion. She them mumbled her curse and as it flew through the air towards her teacher she was not quite prepared for what came next.

" Un...du...twa!" The pretty professor suddenly concentrated on her hands and wove them in two half circled that met in the middle. A small thin line could be seen, as though a tiny silver string hovering in a circle as tall as she was and as wide. (Okay, so it was an oval. Shapes never were her thing!) I foot from her, the curse or hex ( Hermoine mumbled it so of course no one really heard it.) suddenly bounced back with a silver ripple gracing the circle and hit Hermoine instead. Sending the know-it-all of the Gryfindors to the ground with the effects of the Jelly-legs curse. ( IS it a hex?)

The entire room erupted in a gasp and then whispers as Hermoine was helped up by her Professor. "See Miss. Granger, I told you I would be fine." The woman smiled brightly at her students and helped Hermoine to her seat. "Now then class, would ANYONE be willing to take a guess as to what just happened?" She gave the class a sweeping look hoping one of them would at least guess!

Like that would happen. These kids were being taught on wands and had been for the past 7 years. Right...

" Anyone?? Come on now! I know at least one of you MUST have a guess!?"

Severus stayed quietly in his chair and smirked at the woman with slight arrogance. She returned it with a glare and then heaved a sigh in the direction of her students.

" Alright class...if no one even poses a guess in the next 5 minutes, 50 points from BOTH HOUSES!!" she yelled at them, a vein becoming more visible on her forehead. Eyes widened across the room. Including that of Severus Snape. Considering that the OTHER house was his own. She stood there tapping her foot impatiently for 5 minutes before Ron decided to speak up, much to the surprise of everyone in the room.

" Yes, Thank you Mr.Weasley! Now then...what is you think happened when Miss. Granger attacked me?"

Ron looked hesitant for a moment then began. "Well...I think that...umm...what I mean is that...Even though you were wand less, doesn't mean you were magic less." He stated, a bit more sure of himself at the smile slowly forming on her glossed lips.

" Very good Mr. Weasely, that is the main part of it, yes. Would anyone else care to add anything?" She looked around the room as a girl raised her hand; she sat in the back and was very quiet.

" I'm sorry Miss. Johnston, could you please speak up? I'm afraid the rest of the class may not have my hearing." She smiled. "But you are correct!" She added hastily, and Severus listened closely. He was actually quite interested in this, wand-less shielding...not something usually taught. But now that he thought about it, it was quite practical.

" Well..I said that the wands we use are merely a tool to focus our magic into to make our charms and spells more potent. But magic is in our blood and our very being, our souls. So with the right focus, and knowledge, we can pull it out of our very veins and use it without the aid of a wand."

Anya smiled wide and warm. "That is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!" She beamed at the Slytherin girl. ( Yes I said SLYTHERIN) "20 points per house, for Mr. Weasely and Miss. Johnston and their correct guesses." She awarded the students, and then went on to explain it a bit more.

" Now then, you all understand it then? Just because one does not have a wand, does NOT mean that you cannot use the magic that flows through one's body." Silent nods, so she continued. " Wand-less magic is very beneficial to know, especially in matters of defense. You will face times when you will not be able to reach you're wands, and then where would you be? You would be helpless, unless you could still utilize the magic usually focused into the wand, and focus it into you're very hands. This is what I will be teaching you all. We spend the first few weeks reviewing, and now, we will begin the real lessons." Her smile turned into more of a mischievous smirk. "You will learn how to meditate and ground yourselves, and how to focus you're magic without the aid of a wand and directly into a charm or spell, a shield or a curse. And you will always be able to defend yourselves. Weather you have a wand, or not. Now then, I wand a 2 foot parchment role on the magical properties within the body itself and how those properties are focused and used with a wands aid. Dismissed!"

The students grumbled a bit on the way out and as soon as they had all gone, a faint slow clapping issued from Severus. "Quite amusing...and ingenious. You are teaching them a good skill Miss Lorien." She turned to face him smirking in a smug fashion.

" Thank you very much Severus, and its Anya." She smiled sweetly sat down at her desk.

" Well, good day then...Anya." He left with the billowing of robes and she sat there at her desk, letting the warmth of the smile fade away and happy façade melt away from her. Though she was quite glad that Severus was finally using her first name, it wasn't enough to keep the depression away for even a moment.

(((()((&(&(&(& Hospital Wing&&(&(&(&(&)&(

Severus awoke with a start still holding Anya's hand tightly in his own. She was silent and still, but he could perfectly see her eyes darting back and forth underneath her eyelids. He wondered if that memory he'd just dreamt, was something she was seeing herself. He remembered it very well, but it was as if he was seeing it through her eyes.

Including what happened after he'd left that day. In his mind, he saw the happy smile fade away and the warmth dissapear from her very aura. It was as if the room was frozen and cold. A side effect apparently from being an elemental.

She was projecting...and to him of all people.

She was remembering, and perhaps, just perhaps, "These memories of the two of us, can bring her back to me..." he whispered and sat back in the chair, watching over her.

Again...most people would drop dead from shock had they walked in on such a rare sight as that of the Hospital Wing this Christmas Eve.

But Christmas is a time for miracles, is it not?


	4. Memories Kept

(Mini Disclaimer: The lyrics that you read, I did NOT write them, I heard them sung on Disney Channel and I felt that fit for this chapter. It's "Over It", sung by Annalise Van Der Pool)

Also I would like to thank 2 new reviewers: Waterfari88 and Kimberly. And to Nativemoon: yes the counting was intentional, and I'm happy I can be inspiration for somebody! I feel so flattered!

Chapter 4: Memories Kept

_How could you know?_

_That behind my eyes, a sad girl cried_... 

Another Memory...The Halloween Dance.

She'd chosen her outfit accordingly enough. It was a beautiful dress very visible under the maroon robes.

Long flowing skirt in violet, a black bodice over a lavender shirt with long bell sleeves. She still wore her black boots though. There was silver embroidery on the hems of the skirt, and the sleeves. And silvery swirls adorned the bodice, enchanted to look like swirly, coiling wisps of smoke. Her hair was down; with the small exception of the two braids she had in front, one on each side of her head.

She was a thing of beauty to be sure; even Severus could not help but notice her.

She, however, opted to sit in the darkest corner she could find. She saw Dumbledore and Severus talk for a moment before Severus made his way over to her.

"Good evening Anya." He nodded at her and sat down next to her, handing her a mug of Butterbeer, which she accepted with a small, warm smile.

"It's a beautiful dance Severus, don't you think?" She asked him, looking out across the huge hall, where decorations in orange and black were everywhere and the students were having a wonderful time. "And so many happy couples..." She trailed off, a sad hue to her voice a sudden cold chill that only lasted a second before that warm smile was in place again.

"Quite." He gave a curt nod in the direction she was looking and stood again. She looked up at him as he turned to her and offered his hand with a bored look on his face. "Would it be to presumptuous of me, to ask for a dance?" He nearly whispered in a voice that was actually quite kind compared to the sharp tones she was used too.

"Why not at all Severus, I'd be delighted." She beamed up at him as she gently took his hand and let herself be lead around the dance floor for more than one dance.

They sat down after a few dances and opted to talk for a while.

"I was wondering Anya, why you decided to teach you're older students wand-less magic?" He posed the question in a simply curious manner. She smiled again and placed her chin in her hand.

"Well Severus...it is a practical thing is it not? I mean...what are you supposed to do when the Expelliarmus charm has knocked your wand fifty feet from you and another curse is coming you're way?? Not much unless you know how to use the magic you have without a wand. And since I know that these kids will probably have to face a lot of that in their futures, I believe it is a necessary skill. I know I found it quite useful in my...experiences." The table her elbow and other hand was resting on turned icy as she trailed off in reminiscence.

"Yes, it is quite practical. However, I was quite surprised you knew how to do it." He confessed to her, hiding the surprise in his voice with amusement.

"Yes well...I've gotten such knowledge and experience the hard way...through experience and tough training." The ice on the tabletop thickened an inch.

_And how could you know?_

_That I hurt so much inside..._

There was pain in her eyes then. Deep seated and well hidden pain.

Usually.

Holidays and happy events, while bringing out that warm smile, brought out the worst memories.

"Well." The warmth in her smile made the icy tabletop melt away. "Severus, it has been a lovely evening, and YOU are an exceptional dancer. But it is late, and as most of the students have already gone, I believe I would like to get to bed before 1 am. Goodnight!" She stood, still smiling, he stood with her and she gave him a quick hug goodnight, then left with her skirt swishing about her legs.

She'd returned to her rooms, and stood out on her balcony with a glass of red wine, and a pack of cigarettes. It was 2 am before she changed into a sleeveless nightgown and went to sleep.

She'd had 3 glasses of wine, and finished off the pack of cigarettes in under an hour.

&&&&&& Hospital Wing&&(&&&&&

Anya lay in the bed with her hand clasped tightly by the Potions Master. Severus sat in a chair on the side of the bed, with his head down on the bedside with his arm curled underneath it. He was sleeping...and he was remembering right along with her.

Watching but not being able to do a thing.

It was agony while it was release.

&&&I&&&& Memories&&&&&&&&

Another class. This time a gaggle of Ravenclaw and Hufflpuff 6th years.

"Yes Mr.Ceca, meditation IS important for this kind of defensive magic!" She sighed deeply and addressed the rest of the class. "I KNOW the lot of you are smarter than this! Okay...in all honesty, how many of you have actually been doing you're meditation and grounding exorcises?" About 20 people out of 60 something raised their hands.

Anya's jaw dropped and a vein popped out in her forehead.

"I Do Not Believe this! Its no wonder none of you have been able to keep up a shield for more than 2 minutes! How many times must I drive it into you're skulls?? If you do not meditate and ground you're selves, you will not have the magical energy to keep it up for the amount of time needed. NOR will whatever you cast be strong enough to keep away a fly, much less something like an unmentionable!" She ranted on at the class, seeming to grow in size to her class with every sentence until...

"Assignment, do TOMMOROW!! I want a 5-foot essay on the importance of mediation and grounding for casting wand-less spells and shields. Now get out of here before I make it 10!"

The students ran out of the class as if a dragon were at there heels.

Anya sat down and sighed at her desk. When would these children learn to listen to her! Meditation was VERY important! She knew all to well...

And Severus was whisked off to a worst Memory.

The entire Hospital Wing filled with a cold chilly wind as she remembered it and Severus shivered in his slumber.

_And how could you know, that I'm not the average girl,_

_I'm carrying the weight of the world..._

_Yeah!_

There were ruins. Huge stone ruins that went into a deep lake...they were actually quite picturesque. And there was Anya...but...She looked different. She was running. Her brown hair was matted with blood and sweat and mud and in a long braid down her back, though half of it wasn't quite in the braid anymore.

Her clothing looked oriental, yes...but it was a fighting outfit, tight fitting black pants, underneath a looser black shirt with tight sleeves that went all the way to the middle of her fingers, almost like gloves. There was a red sash of linen tied about her waist, and another about her forehead and a sword was in her hand.

The sword was bloody.

Anya was bloody.

And Anya was running.

Anya was leading a gang of thieves away from an encampment. One that was of woman, children and few surviving men. While they were demons, they were of a weaker and lower class and she had been welcome among them.

Now she was returning the favor.

Unfortunately, she could not keep up her shielding. She had NOT been keeping up on meditations lately. And she paid for it. Keeping up her shield for so long without the energy reserve she usually had for it had only kept for so long, and it had drained her of energy very quickly.

She ran, she'd destroyed as many as she could, and still more kept coming. She was beaten, bloody and bruised but she kept running, stumbling through the ruins that she thankfully knew so well.

She suddenly hit a turn she knew too well and slid underneath a low ledge that went underground where she hid...slowing her breathing and masking her scent with the muck around her so as not to be heard or smelled. She heard them pass by, angry yells and grunts. Smacks of a leader mad at his men for losing a "Weak, indignant female!"

It had only been her second month in Makai, and she had been lucky to live even that long. If it hadn't been for the swift changes the realm had done, she probably wouldn't have.

The witch who was now adorned with white wings, black panthers ears, black claws, orange cat eyes and a black panthers tail was scared out of her mind and thanked every god and goddess she could for finding the ruins that first month.

"Dear gods...I want to go home..."

She'd curled up into a little ball, and bruised, battered, beaten and bloody, covered in mud in the cold ground underneath the stone floor of a ruined city, cried herself to sleep. At least all those little kits and cubs and moms and sisters and brothers and fathers were safe...

So ended the memory.

So can you get me out of here?? 

_Take me away! Jump in the Car!_

_Drive till the gas runs out and we've walked so far!_

_And we can't see this place anymore!_

_Take a day off! Give it a rest!_

_So we can forget about this mess!_

_If I lighten up a little bit..I will be..._

_Over it!_

November 1st, a Saturday.

Anya stood outside the Potions Master's rooms again at 7 on a Saturday. She knocked loudly and was greeted by a scowling potions master in a robe, an open robe, and green lucky clover boxers. Anya had to stifle her laugh under her hand and gave a slight snort instead. "Well...we've answered the highly asked question: Boxers or Briefs!" She exclaimed happily but quietly as she stepped passed the now slightly blushing Severus, who was quickly pulling his robe closed. She took note...he really did have a VERY nice physique!

"Hurry up and Change Sev! It's a Hogsmede weekend and We're chaperones!" She beamed at him with another warm smile.

"Right...Just sit down in the living area and I'll be out in a few moments." He kept on Scowling at her and changed in his rooms. When he came back out Anya stood and smiled appreciatively. He wore a dark green Turtleneck with black jeans and had some type of black shoes underneath. He grabbed his cloak (black as well...go figure.) and gestured towards the door. "Shall we leave then?" He asked her in a neutrally kind tone.

"Lets!" she agreed enthusiastically and hooked her arm in his. He didn't push her away or unlock there arms.

They had finally come to an understanding it seemed. Not just an understanding...but more of a friendship.

They went down to breakfast...and once in Hogsmede she dragged him all over the place. First of all was Honeydukes.

"Oh I absolutely LOVE this place Sev! Don't you??" She asked as she dragged him over to the fudge selection.

"Uh..well...sure." He agreed just to answer her. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth. Except for the fudge. He actually found himself chuckling as she shared the tab for about 20 pounds of fudge between the two.

"I guess you like fudge just as much as I do." She chuckled as they sat down in the Three Broomsticks and ordered two Butterbeer's.

"I do indeed Anya." There was a nice silence and then Anya dragged him off to look at the many clothing stores. Then to the bookstore. Then back to the broomsticks for an early dinner and finally it was time to go back to the school.

((((( Back in the Hospital Wing((((((

Lying in the bed, a smile began to grace Anya's face and icy chill that filled the room before dissapaited.

_If I lighten up a little bit, then I will be...Over it._


	5. Remember When?

Chapter 5: Remember When?

" AI!!" There was a pain and terror filled scream, a female's scream and a loud CRACK! A slightly older Anya was slammed to the stone floor of what looked like a dungeon of some sort. Torches burned in sconces on the walls, there were chains, and stonewalls. A tall man, with elfin ears and pure black eyes, no pupils wearing a royal blue top with long sleeves and the same colored loose linen pants with a lighter blue sash as a belt loomed over her. His hair was long, black and held back in a low ponytail

He'd just broken her left arm in about 3 places and then slammed her down onto the floor. And he was smiling through it all while she held back tears of pain.

She tried to get up and then winced, she had either broken or badly sprained her left ankle as well but she stood despite the pain. Albeit, using the rough stonewalls for support with her good arm.

" Kitten..." The man whispered menacingly to her as the Panther ears atop her head flattened against her skull and her orange eyes narrowed and glowed in the torchlight. He smirked at her maliciously. "My pretty little kitten..." he sped up, faster than anyone or anything Severus had ever seen and had her pinned against the wall as she gave another whimper in pain. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth, from various cuts on her body, the black outfit he'd seen in the other memory, bloodied and torn in the chest to near the point of indecency. (Even for these times indecency!) She snarled at him, baring her fangs and growling fiercely. But she!was still shaking badly, pinned up against a wall by this demon warlord person who'd been hunting her for a month.

She was DAMN scared!

" Back Off Akira!" She snarled again. Her answer was being slammed up against the wall harder. "Ai!" she hissed. That had hurt!

" See what happens when you disobey kitten?" He asked with mocking in his deep voice. "Such a pretty little creature...so sad I had to bloody you up a bit." He laughed darkly and stared her in the eyes. Orange meeting the coldest icy blue she'd ever seen, causing a chill to run through her. He licked off the blood that had tricked from her mouth, following the trail from the corner of her mouth to the crook between her neck and shoulder. She shuddered and gave a small whimper, shutting her eyes tightly. Akira pulled back smirking arrogantly.

Anya tried to put up a shield again but all she succeeded in doing was draining more precious energy. She collapsed to the ground. She'd finally figured out why Akira hadn't chained her up.... "That's right Kitten...no silly little magic tricks in here." He laughed manically.

Severus continued to watch this display of blatant torturing. He was appalled! Simply appalled, she'd gone through all this??

Akira suddenly unfurled a long silver whip from where it was attached to the sash at his waist and her eyes tripled in size. She gave a squeak and did all she could to get away from him while the lashes made contact with her flesh. The CRACK of the whip made Severus grimace and he could practically hear her skin rip as the silver and leather strip made contact with it.

After 10 or so lashes, her tolerance gave and she cried out with every single lash that hit her back, her shoulders, her arms, her legs and everywhere Akira could hit. Once Akira seemed satisfied with this...punishment he threw the whip to the side, far away from them both and smiled evilly.

Anya could hardly breathe the pain was so bad and she had tears running down her face uncontrollably, yet silently. Akira, satisfied with the now bloody, bruised and weakened half-breed he so affectionately (Snorts!) called kitten, scooped her up, exited the dungeon and walked up stairways and down hallways until they got to HIS room. The memory cut off right after she had been slammed down onto the bed with such a force it caused her to cry out even more.

The memory then shifted to her running away...she was in a royal blue shimmery outfit. Long skirt with slits up both sides higher than mid thigh, and a very low waistline. The shirt, if it could be considered a shirt had full bell sleeves and gold trim, but it ended right below her breasts and was VERY low cut, in a V neck.

She was running hard and fast, barefoot and scantily clad through Makai forests and AWAY from Akira...She knew he'd be after her again but she didn't care. Once her arm had healed and she could walk on that foot again, she'd hightailed it out of there.

She came upon the ruins again. "Zuzuko!" She called out as a white and red streaked haired woman, with wolf ears, eyes, and 3 tails poked her head out from around a corner. "Zuzuko! I need my Katanas!" She exclaimed.

"Anya You...you got away from him??" Zuzuko wondered aloud and ushered the girl inside. "Well...I fixed them for you." Zuzuko handed Anya 2 Katanas sharpened to perfection and a dagger too. "You take care of you're self Black Cat." She then ushered Anya out the other end of the ruins where she continued to run.

It seems that Anya had to be on the run half her life in Makai. And she'd suffered far more than fights...

Throughout that night, Severus saw more memories....

She had fought for her life.

She had fought for the lives of those she'd barely known.

She had been hunted by ruthless bandits, and Demon Lords alike.

She had been beaten to points where a normal person would have died...and then raped.

And she had been in the middle of a war between clans most involuntarily.

((((&%&&(&((&)(

Again...the hospital wing became icy, and the air as cold as the wintry winds that blew outside. Tabletops became icy. Icicles formed off curtain rods around beds and healing potions froze in their bottles, causing several to shatter.

It was agony, these nightmarish memories. Agony during what should be a release, and an opportunity still.

This was a look directly into Anya's soul. And Severus had front row seats.

While outside the Hospital Wing, the corridors had begun to turn icy as well. And as there breath became visible, Albus Dumbledore and Poppy Pompfry rushed towards the Wing with one thought between the two.

" Anya!"

Thank you to all my reviewers, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I promise the next one will be much better.


	6. I Never

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 6: I Never

"I've never felt so weak,

I've never felt so confused,

I thought I'd finally figured it out,

But everyone's telling me something new.

Who am I to trust?!

Can I even trust myself?!

Where do I belong?!

Why does everything just feel so...wrong?!"

The notebook with the "Labyrinth" emblem snapped shut as soon as the first tear fell. The young woman sniffled and looked out the window of the train, willing herself not to let anymore tears fall. She took a folded piece of parchment out of the pocket of her scarlet robes and read it again, as she had been since she first stepped foot on this train.

"Dear Miss. Lorien,

We are happy to announce that you have been selected for the position of Defense Against the Dark Art's professor at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I do realize that this is awfully short notice, but we have been quite busy here. I'm sure you can easily guess why. In any case, you're experience is exalted and arrangements have been made, you shall stay at the Leaky Cauldron until September First. Then you shall proceed to Platform 9 and ¾ and the Hogwarts Express shall then take you to the school. A ticket for the Hogwarts Express has been enclosed.

We look forward to seeing you, and having such a prestigious and experienced being working at our school.

Many blessings and a safe trip to you.

Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Albus Dumbledore"

The young woman read it once more and then put it back into her pocket, sighing deeply. Experience...right. She had experience all right, but none that she'd ever wanted to bring up ever again. Still this teaching gig was right up the girl's alley. The kids needed this knowledge, and they would get it. Besides...she had nothing else to do, nowhere else to really go.

Her raven squawked in his small carrier/cage indignantly. He never liked being cooped up. She stood up and opened the door so he could fly out and he did so, hovering in front of the window before landing on her shoulder gently as she sat back down.

"Well my little friend, what do you think?" She asked him stroking his beak and back lovingly. He gave a few more caws and she nodded. " Yes...I heard Hogwarts was a beautiful place. At least there's a lake, and it's big. And Hogsmede is nearby." She reassured herself as much as the bird on her shoulder. She sniffled again, the poem not quite forgotten. "I still wonder...what might have happened...had I not found you." She blinked back more tears and turned her head away, feeling the weight lift off her shoulders suddenly.

Severus watched in wonderment. This was she, before she'd gotten to the school. The raven...that raven was always near her. On her shoulder, on the back of a chair, on her desk, in the rafters above her. Always....

He watched on

Two strong arms clad in black silk wrapped around her in a comforting hug. Large black and feathered wings wrapped around her and her comforter. A pale chin descended gently on top of her head, pulling out the chopstick and dropping it on the seat. The eyes were dark blue, with an oval pupil, cheekbones high, and very handsome he was. His hair was raven, the light of the compartment making it shine with a dark blue hue and it was in a low ponytail and very long. Anya turned into his chest and they just sat there, in that position, as she cried. "Anya...shhhhhh. Don't dwell on such things. We got out, that is enough." He gently comforted her. And she soon stopped crying. "That's good my little sister." He praised, when the tears had stopped altogether.

Severus looked on in awe. The raven.... the raven wasn't a raven? He.... he was.... what did he call her? Little sister? What??

She smiled at him slightly. "I never stop dwelling, you know that." She wiggled out of his hold and giggled. Then stretched. Phalin looked out the window.

"We're almost there Anya." He said softly, pointing out the window and sighing. "I think I'd best transform again." He said begrudgingly. He never left her side really. Always her protector, always watching over her.

Like a good elder brother should do.

"Ah...but you're right P-Chan, and don't worry, I wont stick you back in that cage, you can stay on my shoulder." She smiled, albeit a tad bit sadly.

"I hate it when you call me that..." he glared as she transformed and landed on her shoulder again.

"Precisely why I do it." She teased the raven. Then put the stoic look back on her face and waited for the train to stop.

And for the time to come when she would see her new home.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Albus and Poppy rushed into the Infirmary and were relieved to feel that it had begun to warm up a tad bit more. They also rushed in just in time to see the raven she always had near transform in a burst of black light.

"Phalin?" Albus asked softly, not entirely sure what he had just witnessed. Poppy was stunned speechless and sat down on a nearby bed.

The raven haired, black winged young man looked down at Anya, laying on the bed in a state of subconscious unrest and the man sharing it with her who was slumped over in his seat on the bedside, tightly grasping her hand. He looked then up at Albus, with watering eyes and a trembling bottom lip.

"Albus.... I tried to protect her! I tried!" He collapsed to his knees. His black cheongsam making nearly no sound as the silk hit the floor. Poppy did not know what to make of this and opted for checking on her patient and the visitor. Albus knelt by the winged boy in a grandfatherly fashion.

"There was nothing we could do my boy. She must break out of this by herself now." Phalin slowly shifted to a sitting position, and leaned against the wall next to his little sisters bed. He was still holding back tears for her.

"She was in this same state...you know? Unconscious, but unresting as well. Though she was much more bloody than this...when I brought her to out tribe, poor thing." Phalin spoke in nearly a whisper...more to himself than to the two conscious occupants of the hospital wing. "It's almost like....like history is repeating itself."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

And that is all you are getting for now. Reviews please.....and I...I have school and all but I'm trying, and thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I'll get the next one out as soon as possible!

Namarie!


	7. Blame

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 7: Blame

It is Christmas eve and the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry is anything but cheery. There is a girl lying in a hospital bed unconscious. Severus Snape, the seemingly uncaring, unemotional potions master is slumped over in his chair, tightly grasping one of her hands and he is too, unconscious. The headmaster and the medical witch are there as well if only to watch and wait. And there is a young man with large ravens wings, in a black, silk, cheongsam on the floor with his back up against a cabinet or something, nearly to tears because he was not able to protect the one he calls little sister.

But how do you save someone who is so deeply introverted. So caught up in a whirlwind of memories and experiences that have played such a role in there life that they know not that it is only a memory in the state of unconsciousness. Is it possible to save one such as this?

" HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HER!!!!!" Phalin suddenly screamed and pointed at the slumped over figure of Severus. The handsome face was contorted in anger and pain. " HE SHOULD HAVE PAYED MORE ATTENTION! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HER!" He screamed again, wanting to perhaps blame someone for Anya's state, " I should have been there for her…" And blaming himself in the process.

This is what happens when you love someone as deeply as Phalin loved Anya.

Sisterly or otherwise.

"Phalin…" Anya uttered softly, almost too low for even him to hear. Her eyes were moving rapidly under her skin, and Severus's were doing the same. She was remembering again.

Anya's mind.

" My name is Phalin." There was a young man carrying her. And she was in no shape to even have her eyes open but it didn't stop her. Akira…gods awful demon warlord idiot had gotten her again. She was sure he'd kill her this time but….she was saved.

6

I know it's uber short and everything but…well….the next chapter is going to be long….very long…Please review anyways cuase I hope that new people will read this and yeah…

-Aviarianna O' Lorien


	8. Safety

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 8: Safety

'Don't look back, don't stop moving, don't look back, don't keep moving.' Anya's mantra in her head as she ran through the uneven forest that was more like a jungle. Her chest heaved and burned in unison with her legs at the utter over exertion.

'Don't look back' Her shirt ripped a bit more on a shrubbery full of thorny branches.

'Don't stop moving!' She tripped over a rather mean looking root with a muffled yelp, scrambled to her aching feet quickly and kept on running.

Her shirt was in tatters, her pants weren't far behind, more like ragged shorts than pants really and her bare feet were bloody and blistered all to the seven hells and beyond. Her legs, arms, face and pretty much entire body was covered in muck and bloody cuts and scrapes. Still, she kept moving.

What had once been pure, unadulterated hatred and anger was now the most intense fear she'd ever felt.

Not far behind her was the sound like breaking glass upon water as another of her walls of ice was easily broken. She slid suddenly in the mud left over from the freezing rainstorm and slammed headfirst into the thick trunk of a sturdy Makai tree. Her world went black.

When she opened her eyes again a few moments later she got an eyeful of an unfamiliar back adorned with large, black, feathery wings.

"Wha…?" She muttered, officially stunned.

She made as if to stand and nearly screamed. Now that she had stopped running, the rush of adrenaline that had fueled her on had been shut off and she was feeling every thing. Every scrape, every cut, every blister and thorn imbedded into her side and legs and arms. Every bruise and aching bone was screaming at her internally to just sit down and stay still. Her head throbbed in the wake of getting a hilt to the temple and of course…running into the aforementioned tree. She also found out the hard way that slipping in the mud had sprained her ankle.

She certainly was a mess though. Shredded clothing, thin, pale, soaked with rain and sweat and blood. (Most of which was her own) She had a rather deep gash in her side that was dangerously close to her stomach and while it had mostly stopped bleeding, made it look certainly no better. More deep gashes in her calves, thighs and one utterly angry looking and feeling stab wound in her shoulder right above her heart. She was covered in burn marks as well. On her back the many marks left over from Akira's whippings stood out, a pearly pink against sickly white. Even her beautiful white wings were bloody and mangled.

This girl was damned lucky she wasn't dead yet. In fact…by all means she should have been unconscious from either the blood loss, pain, or from hitting that tree at something akin to 50 miles per hour. Yet of course, she wasn't. And resilient wasn't the word for it.

"Give me the girl mutt!" Akira's angry growl demanded as he walked up confidently, despite the bloody lip and black eye she'd recently given him before the little 'trek' through the forest.

"No." A stern and equally confident voice answered him without the slightest of hesitancy. "You have entered the Himura Clan's territory, leave."

" I will leave," He sneered, "Once the girl is back in my possession."

Anya let out a small whimper under her breath despite herself. She had no intention of leaving with that bastard, at least not alive. She had a dagger in her boot and was fully prepared to drive it deep within her own heart at this point.

(Such feelings were quite easily projected to those witnessing this memorial vision. Which has somehow engulfed the entirety of the medical wing. One could only pray none of the students needed a band-aid now or for the rest of the night.)

"Need I remind you of the last time you entered our lands in search of a "possession" Akira." The demon in front of her sneered right back. An air of amusement in his voice but his hand clasped steadily to the hilt of his own blade that hung off his hip by a leather belt. It somewhat reminded her of a pirate, a nicely timed amusing thought for the young woman.

'Although at the moment I feel like a small child who's just run away from home with no hope of even summoning the Night bus…' She thought snidely to herself. A small sardonic smile playing across her lips for a moment before she found out that doing so hurt too much.

Akira growled deeply in his throat and lunged at the man in front of her angrily. His patience must have been wearing incredibly thing today. She smirked despite the pain at knowing she was the cause of such wariness. You've got to take what you can get when you can get it no?

And for such a scary, strong, extremely sardonic, masochistic bastard, her savior easily killed Akira. As Akira lunged, it seemed the black winged male in front of her knew that he would and that sword was out so fast, Akira had not time to dodge the swing that aptly separated his head and left shoulder from his body. He fell to the ground in pieces, wide-open eyes staring out and directly at Anya.

Her eyes were equally as wide and she had to remind herself to breathe. A small gurgle escaped her throat along with a bit of blood, coughing fit taking over as she leaned back against the tree in pain. Shock wearing off quickly, turning the pained body that had gone numb, back into a veritable cornucopia of aches and pains enough to make her vision turn white for a few moments.

And once it cleared…

" My name is Phalin." She was in the arms of her black winged savior and in no shape to even have her orange eyes open but it didn't stop her. Akira…god's awful demon warlord idiot had gotten her again. She was sure he'd kill her this time but she had been saved. " He's dead child." Phalin answered her silent question and continued to walk on to the village in the center of the forest. The last words she heard before she completely blacked out were "Welcome to the Himura Clan."

Chapter Fin

Ah…much better chapter than before no? Much longer, that's for sure. All I can say is that finals are OVER! –Does happy dance and the entire muses look at me oddly- what? Well you guys certainly didn't offer me much help! Hello?

-Crickets chirp in distance, as all muses are silent and stepping backwards quickly-

Come back here! –Runs after sprawl of demon/human/other thing's muses- I need you guys!

-Harry walks in sighing and shaking his head- Review please. Thank you much. –He walks out- Avi? Avi! STOP CHASING THEM ALREADY!

NEVER! –Followed by evil laughed and a coughing fit then a thud- owies…-Avi has just run into a steel door reinforced by a titanium alloy- fine…bloody muses.


	9. And This Is How I Learned

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 9: And This Is How I Learned…

It was like watching a muggle movie and being a part of it at the same time. Here stood Madame Pomfrey, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape and a raven winged mutt named Phalin watching and hearing what Anya's past was like. Phalin was reliving it through these memories himself; he had been by her side since that fateful day.

The potions master stood there, mouth agape in awe, horror, bewilderment, complete and utter bewilderment. The cold hearted, slimy git of Slytherin was looking on with the utmost emotion playing across his face and his thoughts were just as trifling. It is a rare thing indeed to get such an insight into someone's troubled past and quite a feat, especially for an unconscious person to be able to project such a thing unto such a large area and number of persons.

Sometimes the things we cannot put into words, things we wish to forget yet can never, must be freed in one way or another

All through out the castle, students of all ages and houses, and even the professors who were snuggled up warmly in their beds shivered involuntarily and unconsciously.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Memory))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Now the scene changed. Anya was awake and in some pain. She was bandaged practically from head to toe, or more specifically, chest to ankle, most of her feet, and most of her arms including that right shoulder where a nasty stab wound had been. The light kimono style robe she wore had the back cut out of it for her wings, which were also heavily bandaged. It would take her some time to heal that much was certain. Phalin walked in as she watched him set a tray of broth down and hand it to her. She sipped it slowly at first and then gulped down the precious sustenance as if she hadn't eaten in weeks!

Truth be told, she'd woken up a day before after being unconscious for precisely 8 days, 7 hours and 23 moments.

"Whoa whoa whoa there kitten! Slow down or you'll choke on it and then throw it all back up!" The raven winged, raven-haired man replied, taking the now empty bowl from her hands and moving the tray aside so he could sit by the futon on the floor. Anya looked up at him and tried to remember who he was…. she remembered the chase through the forest, hitting her head on that tree (Damn concussions.) And, um…. there it was!

"Phalin?" She asked timidly, not sure that it was his name but hoping she'd remembered it. He smiled at her jovially.

"That's right! Good, I thought those injuries might have damaged your head presently or something."

" Oh yeah…" She looked down at the thing blanket covering her and began twisting it in her hands. " Th-thanks for saving me. As soon as I'm able to walk I'll be on my way and you won't have to worry about me." She was nearly positive her welcome would be long overstayed past a few days anyhow. After all, that's how it usually was with a clan or a tribe if you weren't one of them than you had a few days to rest up and bam, be on your way voluntarily or they'd _make_ you be on your way.

" What? What are you talking about? Your welcome to stay as long as you wish to. By the way, what is your name? I can't keep calling you kitten." He smiled again.

"Anya." She replied automatically and then stared at him. "Wait, I can stay, as long as I want to?" She asked incredulously, not daring to believe what she'd just heard quite yet.

" Of course! Why would you- Oh, I understand." He nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "We're not exactly like the other clans and tribes Anya. We're a group of misfits, mutts, half-breeds and the like. In fact, as far as we're concerned little one, you're a member of our clan now." He explained to her.

"I'm a member? How the hells did I become a member? How long have I been out?"

"8 days give or take a few hours. As for being a member, you're a half-breed black panther with wings. Wings are not part of the panther tribe's heritage. So…we figured you're a mutt, and since you managed to survive such extensive damage from _Akira," _the name was all but snarled out. "Then the elders and nearly everyone else saw it fit to account you as one of our own. Welcome Anya to the Himura clan. Now get some rest!" He once again explained and gently helped her lay back on her side for some much needed rest.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((About a month later.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

The girl was now healed up nicely. Her wings weren't in the shape for flying yet and she still had some cuts healing but most of the damage was indeed healed, leaving only the partly wrapped wings, whip scars on her back, and very few fast healing cuts to remind anyone that she'd once been about to die.

She was running around with the younger children, babysitting one could say as others cleaned, got food, prepared food, built things, or just took a break from the daily work. She was smiling and laughing as she watched them play a game of tag, one of the oldest children's games around.

"Oi Tora! You can't get the person who got you right back!" The 'referee' that was Anya made her call, chuckling in amusement.

The little girl named Tora pouted for a moment and then ran after a little boy who had stuck his tongue out at her.

((((((((((((((((A few months after that.)))))))))))))))))))))))

" Hey there little sister! What do you have there?" Phalin asked, walking up behind her and peering over her shoulder.

"Nothing much really, I'm trying to make a rose out of Ice." She sighed. "And I'm not doing very well." The 'rose' looked more like a splintery piece of ice in a rounded shape. Phalin chuckled.

" You need to concentrate more on the shape of what you want and really work the ice when it's forming in your hands." He showed her by doing the same thing, while the ice was forming in his hands he began to make the movements of forming petals and a stem with leaves. Soon he had a rather pretty icy rose in his hands.

"Concentrate." Anya muttered to herself as she did be he showed her and told her, it took her a few tries of course to finally get what she wanted, but hey, it worked!

There was a half kitsune named Zaretu in the clan that Anya soon became good friends with. When he learned what her species, or half species was he grew excited. He explained to her that Panther demons could, if given a bit of training, manipulate plant life just as well as the kits. He soon began teaching Anya how to do many things, including making vines grow around people as well as arches and such. And how to turn flowers into weapons. She could turn a rose into a sword and snapdragons into a bow and arrows.

While Anya was with the Clan, she was also given many lessons in fighting with both fists and weaponry. She mastered blades quite easily, but the bow and arrow…were quite another story.

(Even Snape was chuckling softly to this next memory.)

Anya stood in an archery practice field with a newly transformed bow and arrows made from fuchsia colored snapdragons. She was rather hesitant to practice since she wasn't the only one there and she wasn't very good at it anyhow. She notched an arrow in the bow and took aim at the target hanging from the tree branch; she pulled back on the string tightly, steadily and let go. The arrow fell flat 8 feet short from the target. And she swore under her breath. Slight laugher coming from the best archer in the clan who stood a ways behind her.

She growled and took aim with another arrow. She took aim, growling still and let the arrow fly. And to her amazement…it didn't hit the target. It instead bounced off the ground, a couple of trees, a few targets and swiftly landed directly in the left butt cheek of the cheeky bastard who always thought he was better than everyone because he was the best bloody archer.

She snickered, turned the bow and arrows back into flowers and ran off before he could even send a glare her way.

(((((((((((((((((The day Phalin and Anya got out.))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Anya had confided her deepest secret with only one person. The one she called her big brother. She'd told Phalin everything, about being a witch, about being an Auror and about how she got to Makai in the first place, including how she'd run into Akira and even about Tzuki, the wolf demon she'd befriended a long while ago.

Anya had been in Makai for several years, the past 7 or which had been spent with the Himura Clan as one of its most valuable members. She served as a guardian of the borders and as a babysitter whom the children absolutely adored. But…. then things got rough. Anya fell in love with Zaretu, and he fell in love with her. Now this isn't the part that's rough. The two were wed, Makai style, which was basically a little ceremony where they exchanged a verbal bond and later on they bonded both mentally and physically. About 2 years later, (the 5th year Anya had been with the Clan, the second year of her and Zaretu's mating.) A war sprung up that took unto itself many clans. The Himura clan was right in the middle of it, due to Akira's death, which apparently had caused this massive war to brew and then rage on. It seemed that the bastard had many friends in high places and they'd found out quickly about his death and the circumstances by which it happened.

Safe to say said people were NOT very pleased.

Now Anya and Zaretu were both fighters. They both fought in this huge battle, this raging war. They fought to protect the village and the people they called brethren, the children that still had their lives ahead of them in so many ways and the place they called home. And the price for the lovers fighting side by side on the battlefield in the deciding battle, was Anya having to watch as the sword meant for her breast was plunged instead into the heart of her mate's. Sacrifice's such as this she'd only ever read about and yet here she was, witnessing her lover die to save her. And she watched, frozen, numb as her brother took down the one who took down her lover. When the battle was over, and her brother announced the safety of the village and the victory of their people over Akira's accursed friends, she stood their as numbly as she had when he'd first told her to keep fighting.

They then, Anya and Phalin along with Touya, Nagiri, and Sakura set out to find Zaretu's body among the slain and put him to rest properly. It wasn't until Anya saw his face, eye's wide open, and body bloody and broken that she finally fell to her knees and sobbed in the middle of the blood soaked battleground. Phalin carried her home and she still sobbed as her lover, her mate was burned on a funeral pyre as a great one among his people.

((About a week after the funeral))

Anya lay on the futon she'd shared with Zaretu for years, clinging to one of his shirts and crying silently. She just could not get over his death. And the bonds that had been severed took their toll heavily on her. She was in not only emotion anguish, but mental and physical as well. Not eating, barely sleeping, the only thing she seemed to be able to keep down was a Jasmine tea that was Zaretu's favorite.

"Anya?" Phalin poked his head into the room and sighed at the disheveled young woman's position. A half drunk cup of tea was next to her, icy cold as it had been from last night. She lay on her side, white wings towards him, her body shaking as the silent sobs wracked her now unhealthily thin frame. He walked around and sat by her side, brushing the stringy brown hair out of her face. "Anya…I have some news."

"Wha-what is it big brother?" She croaked out, opening her dulled eyes a fraction so she could stare out at him through tiny little slits. Phalin winced, he hated seeing her like this, he really did. It took all his willpower not to cry himself.

"I've found a way to get you back."

"What!" She gasped and sat up quickly.

"There is a small portal near our village that leads to the human world. You can get back now Anya." He replied, pulling the girl into a tight hug. " We have some of our best guarding it now. It will grow bigger and in about a week it should be stable enough and big enough to allow you through."

Anya hugged him back; she could finally go home…finally. "Come with me Phalin?" She asked hesitantly.

"Always." He answered.

The next week was spent getting ready for the trip. And getting some health back into Anya. The day they left, it was sad day for everyone. The children gave her so many hugs and little presents that she was overwhelmed by it. Phalin led her through the forest to the guarded portal, he stepped through, holding her hands and she walked in right after him. The portal suddenly disappeared with a small popping sound and was gone.

Soon after appearing back in her own world, the Ministry found her and a big black Raven she called Phalin who never left her side.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Out of the memory circle.))))))))))))))))))))))

All residents of the Medical wing, currently speaking, were suddenly thrown from her mind in a dizzying, painful swirl of blurring memories of happiness, sadness, anger and hatred. They all awoke from their positions; slumped over on the floor, or in chairs and looked at the young woman who'd just shown them the reason she was the ways she was.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She shot up in the bed, eyes wide open and for a moment let out the most ear splitting, bone chilling, chain rattling, window breaking howl of a scream. And then fell back on the bed and was silent, but undoubtedly awake. She groaned and blinked rapidly, trying to get her bearings straight. Where was she? She was in the hospital wing, that's right, she recognized it and then she sat up slowly, gingerly, with the help of Severus, who she then noticed and froze, staring at him. She stared about at the others in the room who all stared back at her in a similar state of awe and shock.

"Oh…my…" She muttered.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Chapter Fin!))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

All right…I'm not sure if I want to have one more chapter, or two. It all depends really, if you like it then tell me eh? Please? Anyways…yeah. She finally woke up. Gods my hands are tired right now. I know that my updates have been far and few between and for this I am truly sorry but it just hasn't been the best New Year for my family and me. I mean I've now got a three legged dog, my uncle died recently, we're pretty damned broke, my sis is going through one hell of a divorce and I'm worried about her…blech. Anyways, I'm trying! Really I am! I hope you enjoyed!

AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY REVEIWED ME, TO EVERYONE ELSE, I CANT GET INSPIRED IF I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU PEOPLE LIKE IT OR ARE READING IT YA KNOW! SO REVIEW ME PLEASE!.


	10. Realizing In Pairs

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 10: Realizing In Pairs

A/N : All right. I know that most of the chapters were focusing on Anya and well…I kind of had to do it that way to get her background established and all that stuff. I know that my story is extremely unusual and such and that it didn't focus much on the whole Harry Potter universe thingy for a while except in tiny snatches but it was necessary. So…I apologize if anyone reading this found that annoying or something.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((And now…the story))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Oh…my…" she muttered.

The faces staring back at Anya seemed to be trying to figure out weather to be relieved, completely shocked, or both. And poor Anya was just sitting there not knowing what exactly was going on but that it centered on her. (Observant one today isn't she…) Quite frankly she tried to slump down deeper into the pillows now propping her up and disappear under the blanket. She'd almost succeeded in it too.

" I do not think so." Was the stern reply from Severus at the obvious attempted escape. He grabbed the back of her nightgown and hoisted her upright before the pillows could overtake her.

"Eh-heh…?" She gulped and did her best to try and look innocent, barely managing.

Now no one was quite sure what the reactions would be, especially the girl with the bloody bandages on her wrists lying in the hospital bed. The tension in the room suddenly shifted, most occupants settling on the relief factor. Anya was awake, finally. She was out of that cycle of memories that had overtaken her mind and sucked them all into it.

The sudden softness to Severus Snape's dark and usually hard, cold eyes was a rather welcome thing as well.

It almost felt as if they had been pulled into and thrown out of some random Anime that some of the student body seemed obsessed with.

"ANYA!" The half-breed in the bed was promptly tackled in a death grip bear hug by Phalin. The raven winged boy was nearly sobbing with his relief at this point. He was under the impression she might never wake up and then she did.

"Phalin…? I…what happened? Why am I…?" She trailed off in reminiscence of what she'd done that night. After Phalin had let go and she'd remembered, she sat up and stared at her bandaged wrists in horror and awe.

"Little sister you…well you were trapped in your memories." Phalin explained gently to her, worry now flashing across his features.

"Poppy, I think perhaps it is time we take our leave?" Albus whispered to the medi-witch with a slight smile.

"As much as I hate to leave my patient…I believe you're right Albus." She replied slowly in her own hushed whisper.

The two made their ways out of the medical wing and to their own separate quarters.

"Phalin, you look horribly exhausted," Anya, commented on her brothers disheveled, bag-under-the-eyes look. "Go get some rest…. I'm fine now." She put on a happy front. Completely masking what she'd felt when she'd realized she'd nearly ended her own life that night. The realizations that she'd shown a good number of people her past (However involuntarily it had been. Innocent bystanders they were.) had not yet made itself known.

Phalin stood and looked at the exit hesitantly. She was quite right; he was exhausted from staying up nights to watch over her. She'd been acting strangely outside her classes for the past few weeks and he had been worried then. She gave him a stern look and pointed in the direction of her quarters. "Go get some rest brother." He still hesitated.

"Go Phalin. I'll stay and keep an eye on her." Severus flatly stated. Phalin gave him a look but complied.

"All right. I'll go get some rest if only to keep my sister from worrying about me. Good night Anya, I'll see you tomorrow." Phalin gave her one last hug and retreated out the door to go get some rest.

So now here they were. The one who'd found the girl near death and girl near death who'd been found. What an awkward silence that has got to be, no?

It was odd, Severus just sat there in the chair waiting for Anya to react the way he knew she probably needed to. She stared back at him for a moment and began twisting the blanket in her hands. It was a nervous habit she'd had since she was very tiny, but that got her looking down at her hands, and thus her wrists.

Her façade fell, fast.

She held her arms out straighter, the white bandages on her wrists slightly blood stained. Her wrists were in her line of sight, taking up all her orange-brown eyes could possibly see. She stared at them, never daring to look over at the man who'd been by her side the entire ordeal. Never daring to look away for fear they'd start bleeding profusely were she to look elsewhere.

"Anya…" Severus began, not quite knowing what to say for once.

" What happened Severus?" She asked in a voice not at all like the one he'd heard before. This voice was meek. It was timid and scared and confused and nothing like the rich, voluminous tones he was so used to hearing come from those now pale lips. She finally met his eyes, "Tell me, please?"

"You showed us all the reason."

"Reason for what?"

"For why you are the way you are now."

"… Oh…"

It took her a moment to realize the true gravity of such softly spoken, simply put answers. Her eyes grew wider and her mouth formed a silent "O" shape before closing again. Her emotions were obvious then. She'd never meant for anyone to know about any of what had happened in her past, none of it. It was a big secret that was never to be revealed.

She was scared.

After all the progress she'd made with Severus too, she was now certain that had been in vain. The damage done this night, in her mind, was irreparable. Who would want someone with the kinds of scars and issues she had. Hells, she wasn't even sure Severus thought of her as a friend. Furthermore…. the Headmaster had seen it all. Seen what she could be like, see what happened to her. Her mental instability MUST have been clear to him. (She only thought it was instability. Her inability to express things right out was more likely the bloody problem.) Would she be fired now? What would happen to her and what about Phalin? No one had known about him except for Albus. She couldn't lose this job; she had nowhere else to go! No funds! Nothing!

Her irrational, negative and consequently extremely depressing thoughts were brought to a stunning halt. Severus had shifted to sitting next to her on the bed, and none other than the snarky potions professor himself enveloped her in a rather tight, warm, strong embrace. She froze for a second, stunned and rigid, Severus afraid that his show of affection was unwelcome. Until she sunk into the embrace and buried her head into his black fabric covered chest and began to cry.

Severus who was quite uncomfortable with comforting anyone didn't know what to do. He opted for running his hands through her hair in a soothing manner, or what he hoped was a soothing manner, in any case. The cry's soon dissolved into a sort of sniffle/hiccup mixture and Anya continued to hide her face, albeit, in Severus' chest.

"I'm sorry Severus." She muttered into the fabric so low he barely heard her.

"Sorry for what?" He was genuinely confused.

"For dragging you into that. No one was ever supposed to know about that."

"You have nothing to apologize for Anya. Nothing. You had no control over what happened." He reassured her.

Now this was something odd indeed…you see, when the ministry had found her, relieved though they were to get one of the best Aurors they'd ever had back, they didn't exactly act like it. They got back this half-breed creature and, according to them, it was all her fault. It had been her fault she'd been somehow sent to that monstrous world, it was her fault she'd turned into the half-demon thing and it was her fault she'd gone through all of that and they paid no mind to how it had affected her mentally. Only physically, making her take that horrid potion once a month to hide EVERY aspect of non human-ness.

"It's…not?" She asked meekly, staring up at him with eyes that clearly told stated 'Yes it's all my fault, everything that happened to me was all my fault.'

"No, it has never been you're fault." He silently cursed the ministry _again_ for doing this to someone. Especially one he cared so much about.

Whoa…he cared about her? He cared about her. He deeply cared about this woman, otherwise he wouldn't be there in that room right now, hugging and consoling her. He wouldn't have gone to Hogsmeade with her even when it wasn't a school-chaperoned weekend. He wouldn't have dealt with her insane rant about cookies, or her multiple visits weekly to his potions lab weather she needed it or not.

And Anya…she realized that she wouldn't have gone so out of her way to see him so often, if she didn't care about him. She wouldn't have stopped all those horrible pranks certain students had planned. She wouldn't have sat next to him during meals at all.

There were several things they would never have done, had they NOT cared about each other. (Denial much? It's taken them this long to realize it? Seriously…)

"It was never my fault?" She asked again, wanting to hear him say it. Needing the reassurance.

"Never Anya." He stated again. A smile twitching at his lips ever so subtly.

She smiled softly. It wasn't her fault; it had never been her fault. Funny how it only took his voice reassuring her of the fact, to make her believe it.

She looked up at him, moving back slightly to look him in the face. The light was returning to her eyes ever so slightly, he noticed. There was softness to his eyes that had not been there before, she noticed. And it was an eternal moment when a set of pale lips met in a chaste kiss in the hospital wing of Hogwarts.

Anya snuggled up into Severus' chest, unwilling to let go of the warm, and comforting presence. (And scent to be quite technical.) She was asleep in seconds, and Severus, not daring to wake her up for fear that peaceful smile would disappear prematurely, shifted so he too was laying on the hospital wing, slipping his own legs underneath the sheets.

It would have made anyone entering stop dead in there tracks. Given the most expecting-the-unexpected state of minded person faint. The greasy git of a potions master with the DADA professor wrapped tightly in his arms, sharing a hospital bed.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( chapter fin))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Okay…. there. Goddess you people have NO idea how much typing I've done today…ugh. Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, I think I'm only going to put up ONE more chapter and then it will be done. –sniffles- Oh my…it's almost done?

Review me please…. suggestions and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is more than welcome. Flames will be deleted immediately after reading.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAD ALREADY REVEIWED ME AND PLANS ON REVIEWING ME, EVEN IF IT IS AGAIN!

Aviarianna O' Lorien


	11. Heart's Do Change

Hearts Do Change

Chapter 11: Hearts Change

Snow fell softly outside as dawn broke on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All over the school the few students left awoke to piles of presents at the foot of their beds. In the Gryfindor Dormitories, Harry Potter awoke with a strange sense of joy that hadn't been there before, in fact, the rest of the residents soon noticed.

The grounds were lit up as the snow stopped falling and the sun peeked out over the dissipating clouds. A lawn of nothing but silver or so it seemed, the lake shining in it's frozen state like a large slab of crystal.

It was Christmas Morning.

It was warmer than it had ever been before in the Hospital Wing. The sleeping forms of Anya Lorien and Severus Snape, with his arms tightly wrapped around her was a peaceful, welcome scene to any creature to glance that way.

This was comforting, loving warmth.

Severus awoke before Anya, peering out the window and the snowy scene made him smile slightly. Why had he never appreciated it before now? He had family, sure, family he hadn't seen in ages. He'd been at Hogwarts for years and never appreciated the utter stillness, the peacefulness that the snowfall on a golden morning held. He looked down at Anya who was smiling in her sleep, snuggled up against his chest. He watched her chest rise and fall with each, quiet, passing breath underneath the think silk of the nightgown.

He would be appreciating these golden mornings for the rest of his life.

Orange-brown eyes fluttered open, a tiny sigh of contentment escapes warm lips. A smile then graces these lips to mirror the pale pair on the face housing the deep, dark eyes staring down through a curtain of long black hair.

She would be appreciating these golden mornings for the rest of her life.

"Morning Severus." The voice is still meek, but quiet now only because of the peacefulness of the morning it's owner does not wish to break.

"Morning Anya." The darker, lower equivalent responds in the same fashion, not wanting to even risk it by going up even one decibel.

There is a shared smile.

A shared glance outside into the seemingly pure wintry world.

Another kiss, this time not chaste but passionate and warm. Lips crushed together, breath knocked away by the sheer force. Not lust, nothing close to lust can produce the sheer ecstasy, the sheer emotion and bliss of such a kiss. If the need for air had not become so great they might have never parted.

"Merry Christmas love." Severus all but purred out as they both stared out the window now at the dawning day.

"Merry Christmas love." Anya repeated back to him.

It felt good to call someone love. Anyone else would have known exactly what those two were really saying.

After all, what better for a miracle at Christmas, then the changing of hearts?

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((FIN!)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

All right…. That's the end of it ladies and gentlemen. Unless I get asked for a sequel, you'll just have to deal. Now then…I would like to thank the following people for reviewing me and especially those of you who have stuck with me for the duration of this story:

**Pen2Paper**

**Joanne-Davenport**

**NativeMoon**

**WaterFarie88**

**Kimberly**

**Silent Watcher 1st Fury**

**NazgulGirl**

**Valancy and Maranda**

**Moonjava**

**Vanessa**

**Greyfalcon**

**harryluver13**

Thank you all so much for reveiwing me and sticking with the story. Now remember, if no one wants a Sequel then you won't get one. If I get enough people saying they want one though, which in my oppinion is something like 8+ people, then sure, I'll get right to work on the little snippets I have. But hey, it's up to you guys.

Tah Sweethearts.

Aviarianna O' Lorien


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